Combination bushing for beer barrels



Oct. 6, 1936. P. A. JQHNSON COMBINATION BUSHING FOR BEER BARRELS .z. v /30 a Filed Aug. 16, 1934' Muibv d \1 so Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COIWBINATION BUSHING 'FOR BEER BARRELS 9Glaims.

This'inve'nti'on relates to a universal bushing for'beer barrels.

Barrels which are to containbeer have bung holes through whichthe barrel is filled. The beer is pumped or otherwise tapped from the barrel. It is common'tolprovide at the bung hole of the barrel a bushing, of metal. Many and different types of bushings are used with which are associated plugs and/or valves for sealing the barrel against escape of' the beer and with which a tapping. mechanism maybe used'towithdraw the beer from 'the'barrel.

There are several systems oftappingfthe'beer 'from the barrel' with each of which special plugs "or valves'for the difi'erent' systems are used and heretofore it has been'necessary, with a particular type of bushing used, to use with it a particular valve or plug designed to fit the bushing or be used'therewith or integrally connected thereto. "With my invention I provide a universal bushing capable o'f'bei'ng sealed against escape of the beer and with which any of'the different regular makes of plugs or valves may be used.

When the'beer is shipped'from the brewerythe barrels equipped with the) bushing of my invention may be shipped to any part of' the country with an assurance that when received the tapping and withdrawal. of the beerfrom the barrel can be readily attained; Or in many cases the barrels leaving the. brewery may be equipped with a. particular plug or valve largely used in a certain section of the country so that the tapping system there can be operated, while in another section of the country a different plug used with the tapping system used in such section of the country may be applied to the bushing. With my'invention the standard and regular'makes or" plugs or valves may be used with the universal bushing which I have invented.

The construction of the bushing and the way that it, may be used may be understood. from the follbwing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. in which.

Fig. 1 is a perspective and central vertical section through the bushing. of my invention showing. the. same applied at the bunghole of a barrel.

Fig. 2 is a similar section through the bushing illustrating the same sealed against escape of the beer.

Fig.3 is a verticalsection showing the bushing unsealed and with one type of plug therein.

4 is a similar. section showing the bushing with another type of. plug. and sealing valve mounted therein, and

Fig; 5 is a horizontal section through the lower portion of the bushing, looking downwardly. Fig. 6 is a sectional side view of the plug.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawing.

The bunghole of the barrel I receives the bushing which preferably is of brass and has vertical walls 2 equipped with threads at its outer side to screw into the bung hole in the case of Wooden barrels. With steel barrels the bushing is brazed or otherwise permanently secured in place. The bushing at its upper end is equipped with an outwardly extending annular flange 3 to come against the outer side of the barrel around the bung hole. It is interiorly threaded between its upper and lower ends at 4. Adjacent its'lower end it isprovided with a horizontal annular' ledge 5 extending inwardly below which is an inwardly extending annular lip 6. The horizontal ledge 5' extends entirely around the inner side of the bushing and at the vertical surface between said ledge and the upper side of the hp 6 a plurality of spaced apart grooves or re- 'cesses Tare made. Six of such grooves or recesses 1 are shown but the number may be varied and be greater than six in number.

The bushing of my invention when secured at the bung-hole of a barrel permits the filling of the barrel with beer. It may be sealed by inserting a circular sealing disk 8 which, at its peripheral portions, is formed with an upwardly extending annular ring 8abelow which is an annular recess which receives the lip 6, the ring (laqbeing of sufficient height that its upper side lies in the same plane with the ledge 5. A ring gasket 9 is" placed on the ledge and upper side of' thepart 3a and a locking ring l exteriorly threaded is screwed downwardly into the bushing at its inner sidewhere interiorly threaded at 4. This makes a; complete seal preventing any loss of the beer through leakage.

" The one to whom the barrel of beer is delivered maybe supplied with tapping equipment including thenecessary plug. In such case the ring it is removed and a plug such as the plug I I, placed in the bushing upon the ledge 6. Previously, in some forms of combined bushings and plugs; the bushing and a plug like the plug l l are made integral. In the present case the plug I l at its lower end has an annular outwardly extending ring l2 which bears upon the lip 6 with the upper side of the ring ['2' in the same plane with the ledge In such case the gasket ring 9 is placed against the upper sides of ledge 5 and ring" l2 and the plug is held in place by rescrewing the locking ring [0 against the gasket 9. The plug II is of the type known as the Peerless type. It is a well known type of tapping plug and as said before has been cast integral with the bushing the same as though the ring l2 and the lower part of the bushing, as shown in Fig. 3, were integrally cast together. With my construction the plug tap is separate and may be releasably secured to the bushing in the same relative position that it has previously occupied when cast integral therewith.

A pin l3 projects laterally from one side of the ring I 2 and may be received in any selected recess a said lip being spaced apart with an annular .cylindri'carsurface between the lip and ledge,

1 of the several recesses which arepresent.

In Fig. 4 the bushing is used toreceive a s0 called Golden Gate type valve indicated at I 4, v having at its upper end an annuIarlip- IS which" bears against the lip 6 and-isheld in sealed p os i tion by the ring gasket 9 and the locking ring l0 threaded into the bushing.

but which may be opened for tapping out the beer. It likewise has a pin l3a extending from the annular member which may beseated in any selected groove 7.

The slots or grooves l and the single pin [3 or [3a are desirable for use particularly when the bushings are screwed into place in wooden barrels It is necessary, particularly with the regular cones Gate type of valveconstruction used that ity of inadvertent or accidental removal of the cork 2i and this is very essential inasmuchas the cork 2| accidentally cameout all'of the beer would be lost Furthermore, since the plug H is bodily detachable from the bushing located therearound the cork may be inserted thereinto while the plug I I is separate and detached from its bushing and this provides for a secure connection because thecork 2i can be inserted fromthe inner side of the'plug. Also, the plug ll may be positioned upon a support or anvil of extremely solid construction whereby the cork may be driven home in an eflicient and decisive manner, thus precluding any accidental removal thereof.

With my invention of universal bushing the same can be used with a special plug such as described with reference to Fig. 3 to fit any standard type'system similar to the well'known Peerless type system. 'The'bushing can also be used by inserting a regular beer valve or what is commonly known as the Golden Gate valve. The slots or grooves 1 in the bushing, shown as six in number may be increased so as to give a larger number of positions of adjustment if it is necessary. There will be great savings to the smaller breweries which will need only to equip barrels with the universal bushings of my invention to which may be applied the devicefor whichever type of tapping system may be used. The detachable sealed connection of a plug, such as the plug :H, or a valve such as the valve structure indicated at I4 is very quickly, easily and simply attained andthe removal thereof is guite asreadily Such construction includes a valve which is closed during shipment obtained. The invention while of a simple character is very practical and useful and has so proved in service.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A metal bushing for beer barrels comprising, a member of sleeve-like form open at both ends and, adjacent one end, being provided with an annular inwardly extending ledge and'with an annular inwardly extending lip projecting farther inwardly than said ledge, said ledge and.

said ledge and said cylindrical surface having a plurality: of spaced apart recesses therein extending toward said lip, the depth of these recesses being less than the width of the said annular ledge whereby a continuous annular surface is. had completely around the ledge.

" 2. In astruc'tureofthe'cl'ass described, abushing of sleeve-like form adapted'to'be located in the side'of abarrel, said bushingb'eing'interiorly threaded between "its upper andlowe'r ends, and having thickened walls a short distance above its lower end providing a'horizontal ledge,'a n inner cylindrical surface extending downwardly "from the inner edges of said ledge andja horizontal annular lip extending inwardly 'at the lower "end of the cylindricalsurface, amember seated upon said lip 'havinga flange the upper side of which is in the same plane withjthe horizontal ledge',a gasket covering the joint between said ledge and flange, and a clamping ring threaded'into the sleeve bearing upon said gasket;

if '3. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 2, said ledge" atja "plurality of spaced. apart points aroundthe same having downwardly extending recesses 'Jtherein and'a' pin projecting outwardly from the flange ion said member entering one of said recesses, and adapted to be located in a selected recess.

4;A fitting consisting of abushinghaving verticalwalls of predetermined exterior surfaces "for attachment 'in'the jbung' hole of the barrel,

an inwardly extending lip rigidly'attached to the 'bushing, a plug having an opening therethrough, an outwardly extendingring rigidly attached to the plug and seating upon the lip in any chosen one of several circumferential positions, sealing means detachably engageable with: the bushing 'and bearing against the ring to hold it in fluid tight relationship therewith, and means for preventing rotative movement 'between the bushing 'and the plug;

'; A combination of elements as set forth in claim 41in which the opening through the plug is having'vertical Walls with internal threads there- ,on spaced. from one end thereof, aninwardly extendingledge'and lip construction at the other end, a member having a cylindrical portion fsnugly interlocking with the ledge and lip construction "and a" threaded ring threadedly engaged with the internal threads in the bushing, the walls above the internal threads being of such shape as to maintain the threaded ring in alignment with the axis of the internal threads prior to their engagement whereby ease of entry is attained.

9. In a device of the class described, a bushing having vertical walls with internal threads thereon, an inwardly extending ledge and lip con- 10 struction below the threads, a member having a cylindrical portion snugly engaged against the ledge and resting upon the lip construction, the top of the member adjacent the ledge being in the same plane as the ledge, a washer resting upon the ledge and the portion of the member adjacent thereto and threaded means engaging said threads and contacting the washer topush the same downwardly against both the ledge and the adjacent portion of the said member.

PAUL A. JOHNSON. 

